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What this week's $300k in highland calf sales tells us

This week's updates from the wonderful world of miniature cattle.

Author

Elliott Garber
November 21, 2025

Howdy friends,

Three highland-focused auctions just wrapped with over $312,000 in combined sales. If you're planning 2026 pairings or getting ready for spring sales, you need to see what these numbers are telling us.

Highland Hill, Creekside/Hauser's, and Cyrus Ridge just gave us a masterclass in market dynamics. Same highland focus, same month, three slightly different approaches, yet they're all pointing to the same trends.

But first, exciting news for me with Creatures! We now have almost 50 active listings in the marketplace, and our new global search bar is making it easier than ever to find exactly what you're looking for on the platform.

I’m actually finding the platform most useful in that it simply provides one easy place to keep photos, videos, and records of each animal. No need to worry about updating (or creating!) a website, or using another software program built for a different type and scale of farmer. I love being able to share a link to an animal’s profile or listing and know that the recipient will find all the information they need right there. And this is all free.

For example, I can share my bull Konrad’s public records here:

But back to the auctions!

Highland Hill Harvest: The Tiny Premium

$111,100 total / 13 lots / $8,546 average
Top seller: Luna at $19,500 (micro/mini silver heifer, chondro+)
The story: Color + "micro" branding = checkbook opener

What jumped out: Their heifer average ($11,279) was more than double their bull average ($4,692). Silver and white topped the sale, including all three of the leading heifer calves (Luna, Sabrina, Winifred). Chondro+ heifers also pulled serious premiums.

Creekside Highland Haven & Hauser’s Homestead: Data Beats Drama

$97,100 total / 16 lots / $6,069 average
Top seller: Skyler Ann at $12,000 (silver heifer, chondro negative)
The story: Birth heights trump everything

This sale flipped the script. Bulls slightly outperformed heifers on average, and three of the four top sellers were chondro negative. The secret? Every high seller led with specific birth measurements. "Born at 19 inches" beats "really small" every single time. But we’ll dive into why this is slightly problematic below.

These two programs also did something pretty smart with the launch of their new “Horns N Hooves” podcast and YouTube channel in the weeks leading up to the auction. Anything you can do to get attention and make potential bidders aware of your auction is going to help significantly with the outcome.

Cyrus Ridge: Bulls Are Going Binary

$104,100 total / 11 lots / $9,463 average
Top seller: Francis at $16,000
The story: Bulls are either elite or economy, no middle ground

This was a textbook split. Two bulls at $14,000 each. Three bulls clustered around $3,600. Nothing in between. Meanwhile, every single heifer sold between $8,100 and $16,000. That's the kind of consistency that makes business planning easy.

I’m sure it’s been a big relief to both the original and new owners of Cyrus Ridge to see these two autumn auctions go smoothly and successfully.

The Birth Size Problem Nobody Talks About

Here's something we need to talk about honestly: calf height and weight at birth are not great predictors of mature size in Highland cattle.

Yes, buyers are paying premiums for calves "born at 17 inches" or "25 pounds at birth." The market data proves it. But here's what every experienced Highland breeder knows: that tiny birth measurement tells you almost nothing about whether you'll have a 38-inch or 46-inch cow at maturity.

Birth size depends on sire and dam genetics, dam nutrition, how long the pregnancy ran, time of year, and a dozen other variables. It’s a poor predictor of adult frame on its own, and you certainly can’t judge an animal’s mature size genetics just from how big it was at birth.

So why does the market reward these measurements? Simple: Buyers want reassurance. They want data. They want something that feels concrete in a world of "micro-mini" marketing terms that mean different things to every seller. A birth height number feels scientific, even when it's not predictive.

What Actually Matters for Mature Size?

If you want to predict adult height, look at parent heights, chondro status (the only reliable shrinking factor), 6-month and yearling measurements (way more predictive than birth), and grandparent consistency. Small parents from small parents matters.

As sellers, we're in a tough spot. The market rewards birth measurements even though they're misleading. My suggestion? Provide the birth data buyers want, but educate them with parent heights and realistic mature size projections. Build trust by being the seller who tells the whole truth.

What These Numbers Mean for Your Program

After analyzing all three sales, here are the strategic truths for 2025:

  1. Bulls Are Going Binary on Us

You're either selling a $10k+ herd sire prospect or a $3k pasture ornament. The "pretty good" bull at $6k? He barely exists anymore. Be ruthless in your selections. If he's not elite, steer him early or price him to move.

  1. Provide Data (Even Imperfect Data)

The market wants measurements, even if birth height isn't predictive. Record everything: birth, 6 months, yearling. But pair it with parent information and honest projections. Be the seller who provides both what buyers want AND what they actually need.

  1. Silver and White Are Your Safety Net

Across all three sales, these colors provided a price floor. For 2026 pairings, those double dilute genetics seem to remain the safest bet.

  1. Chondro Multiplies, But Doesn't Mandate

Highland Hill proved chondro+ pays. But the Horns N Hooves collective proved you don't need it. Their top seller was negative. Think of chondrodysplasia as a price multiplier for animals that already excel, not a requirement for success.

  1. Tell Complete Stories

The winning formula across all three sales:

  • Lead with all available data (birth through current)

  • Include parent heights and mature projections

  • Add personality and temperament notes

  • Specify the ideal buyer (breeder, family, show home)

  • Include transparent delivery options

Bottom Line

These three auctions just handed us a roadmap. The market wants tiny, colorful, well-documented animals with clear stories. And it’s growing up fast. The sellers who adapt to these preferences while building trust through transparency will be consistently topping these sales.

Upcoming Auctions

It’s a busy time of year! Here are the upcoming auctions that I’m tracking, but please let me know if I’ve missed any.

December 7: Webb Cattle Company Highland Heist Online Bid-Off [Interesting to note here that the Webbs are moving back to W2/Willoughby after running several auctions on the AirAuctioneer platform.]

Happy Thanksgiving,

Elliott

P.S. Do you have any questions about listing on Creatures or building a strategy for your own sale? Just reply to this email – I read every response.

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